Snow. Snow! It was everywhere! Or at least, she hoped she was using the correct term to describe this... this stuff.
Pula had explained it to her once, but only once and very vaguely at that. She and Volens had been to countries where snow was a normal occurrence, far to the northern continents, places where Karrin suspected she had never visited. But could not be sure. It was only by the thrill of excitement in her veins that made her think she had not. It was too new, too strange. Not the same kind of strange as being unable to remember anything, but the kind of strange that made her skin crawl with eagerness. Albeit, wrought with caution.
This new land, no - territory - was drenched in the smell of strange horses. Warnings and good tidings saturated the border in equal measure and Karrin found herself hesitating to enter. It was not like the other places she had been thus far. A conscious effort had been made to avoid The Courts, after being informed that this is what these large territories were. Small countries ruled by Kings and Queens with structure, and laws, and soldiers. The skin along her spine puckered with goosebumps, but she blamed it on the cold. Although she had long since crossed the invisible line some time ago, she took her time wandering too deeply into the land it protected. There were trees, and grass, at least what she could feel beneath her feet. The snow was thick, but not too loose, allowing for a shallow wallowing while she still sank considerably into it's grasp. It did not appear to be a heavily forested territory, but it was hard to tell from the short distance she had traveled.
Perhaps it was the bizarre, icy stillness of the atmosphere.
Or maybe it was the occasional rumble of life hidden within the flora.
[Where is everyone?]
The voice from the shadows had been blessedly quiet for some time. A part of her hoped that it had finally retreated back to the cracked box it may or may not have come from. Despite these feelings of discomfort in the past, she latched onto the presence of something other than the silence. Not a single soul could be seen, for as far as the eye could see.
Even still, she kept moving, perhaps driven by some unspoken desire to actually meet someone else. An odd feeling, or rather, an affliction. Karrin trekked through the snow with nary a sound. The world around her remained snowy, but the scenery was beginning to change. The scattered trees and open fields were transitioning into heavier tree cover, reminding her of an old forest they once passed through. The ancient timber was tall and wide, and surprisingly dense for as much space as they claimed. The earth beneath her feet was looking more and more like frozen mud, much like the muggy air in her lungs. There was something off about this new place, for it was undoubtedly a forest, and yet... not. Cloven hooves struck pure, ice-cold mud and Karrin jolted to a stop, gasping aloud as it sucked her straight up to the fetlock, "what!?"
Although it was easy to pull herself free, she looked around in a mild panic. This was no forest, this was a swamp! A swamp in the middle of the first Court she visited, what a discovery! It was not fear that drove her, although with her eyes wide and ears strained for any sound, it looked like it. Every step was taken with caution, using her weight to determine if the mud was frozen enough to walk on, or sink. She could not recall if she had ever actually been to a swamp, but her subsequent response to realizing where she was, seemed to say that she had. Or, perhaps it was instinct that kept her weight meticulously balanced and her muscles tensed for the first signs of danger. Karrin slowly made her way forward, picking out a trail with pain-staking effort. Until she saw them.
Them.
The trees!
[be wary!] The voice warned.
Karrin ignored it. She did not hesitate here, relishing in the feeling of solid ground beneath her hooves. Or, solid tree? For as she observed the stairs she climbed, they were not built of wood, but appeared to be made up of the actual tree itself. Branches grown from the trunk had evolved into literal steps that supported the weight of an adult horse with relative ease. What an enigma! Never had she seen such a beautiful crafted work of nature. By nature itself no less! And yet...
And yet... "Oh, can I help you miss?"
In a manner of minutes Karrin had descended to an uncomfortable height and found not only a platform, but an actual room. This too seemed constructed out of the tree itself, and although she was no less amazed at the ingenuity, there was something else too. Something, suspicious. Something not quite natural. Excluding the thin young mare that now stopped to face her. "Uhm, I'm here to visit a relative." What are you doing!? her mind scolded, even as she offered the young mare an awkward smile. She was not even sure if that was a viable lie. She had no idea what this place was.
"Ah, do you have a name? And what relation are you?" The youths face brightened and her demeanor softened some.
Karrin nearly blanched. "Iblis," she said, the name slipping through her lips with a velvety smoothness. All at once her brain went still and the surrounding walls and wandering horses blurred at the edges. "I'm here to see Iblis, my husband. He should have been here yesterday, but I only made it here today."
The young mare turned and stepped over to what could only be considered a desk, almost like a genuine check-in station. Yet Karrin was not truly paying attention, for her mind was... off. It pulsed in time with her heartbeat, fluttering helplessly in a dream-like state. What was this? She did not understand. It was confusing and frightening, but even that was muffled by the strange blanket that had settled over her thoughts. "Have you found him? He is here right?" It was her voice, her mouth moving, but, but... Karrin wanted to cry out, wanted to move. She could not.
The young mare, who she could rightly deduce was a nurse at this point, turned back to face her with a less than pleased look on her face. "I can't actually, there's no record of an Iblis being brought in, but it's possible that maybe he hasn't made it yet?"
"What do you mean? He has to be here, he has too!" Karrin's mouth spoke, Karrin sounded genuinely distressed, she could feel the heat creeping up her cheeks, the panic pooling in her chest. But... it was-
"I- I'm sorry miss! I've triple-checked our sign-ins and had another nurse check too. There is no one by the name of Iblis here right now, but-" The nurse hesitated, the softness of her eyes had hardened some, but not out of conviction. "You can wait if you'd like. I'm sure if he's supposed to be coming than he'll get here eventually. You're welcome to wait until he does."
"Oh thank you! Thank you, thank you!" Karrin exclaimed, eyes pursing shut with relief. The nurse seemed glad that she wasn't going to be harassed, pointed out the areas that Karrin was allowed to visit, and left. No doubt needed elsewhere.
Karrin did not move at first, did not feel, did not think. There was nothing to think about.
[Be careful] It said, [be vigilant] And Karrin breathed.
"Speech"
Ooc: so okay this is really long, please don't try to match this lol, it was unexpected. But she'll be participating in "The Vigil" for the Midwinter Festival and from her point of view she's arrived around early evening, so dark is nigh. Thank you! @Zombie and open to anyone!
